for 31 July 2000. Updated every WEEKDAY. |
![[Tim Cavanaugh]](/fish/staff/images/tim.gif)
Tim Cavanaugh Special Guest Editor 
Terry Colon Art Director 
Heather Havrilesky Senior Editor ![[Phillip Bailey]](/fish/staff/images/phil.gif){kind=small}
Phillip Bailey Production Editor 
Joey Anuff Publisher 
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All the Summer's a Stage
You guys should read the NY Times TV Guide. They often border on the sublime. Their description for the recent Guinness Book of WR prgram: "Highest shallowdive." Steven M. O'Neill <steveo@panix.com> That's excellent! I can only imagine finding yourself at the Times, but having that be your job there. One would have no choice but to seek out the job's inherent poetry. 40th St. Black  Another favorite: Road to Morocco. Bing Crosby, Bob Hope "Bing sells Bob into Slavery. Dorothy Lamour romances an Arab chieftain." Well hot damn! Charles Swift <jcswift@Frictionless.com> I've think we've finally found a Poet Laureate the American People can get behind. Makes me wonder what this person would do with Lifeboat... 40th St. Black Dear Big 40: Why, that was very sweet. How un-Suck-like. Thanks. Meet me at Joe Allen's and we can swap stories about our acting careers, such as they weren't. Alan Kornheiser <askornheiser@prodigy.net> Hi, Alan: Thanks for reading, and thanks for your note. I'll definitely take you up on your offer, but I have to warn you: Discussing the various careers I should have enjoyed is enough for a week's worth of sit-downs, so I hope you have the free time. Best, 40th St. Black Yo Blackie, Great article. You sound like someone who's been there. But if playwrights are formed through "trial and error" you have to admit that the sum total of the last two decades of American playwriting has been mostly a "trial of error." The psychological inwardness of "the Method"--which was always a more or less wrongheaded approach to acting, based on a gross misinterpretation of Stanislavski--has led playwrights away from the universality of their forebears into the dodgy realm of psychological minutiae. The play as self-help. The biggest problem with American theatre is that the kind of lasting work that was being put forth in the first half of the 20th century, by titans like Miller, Williams, Saroyan, Kaufman, Odets and the like, isn't being written today. These days, I'm being asked to accept folks like Paula Vogel as a tip-top theatrical mind. We'll see where she is in twenty years, but i have my doubts. I suppose Tony Kushner gets in the ballpark with _Angels In America_, but even Kushner has big flaws: he's overlong, too in love with ambiguity, and really needs to get over the Reagan years. It's not like you can't go to the theatre and be entertained, it's just that I don't think there is anyone walking the earth today who could write a _Miss Julie_. It's not all bad. I just saw The Shakespeare Theatre's (Washington, DC) production of Williams' _Camino Real_. 'Twas off the proverbial hook, a far cry better than most of what you see these days. Jason Linkins <jason.b.linkins@verizon.com> Hi, Jason: I agree with your critical analysis about the last 20 years of American playwriting, particularly when you compare the writers working now to some of the Titans of the century's first half. I also agree with what I take to be your assertion that one of the flaws of theater right now is absorbed self-interest. It's no surprise that Kushner's work reminds its audience of past great plays, because Angels in America has that sort of willing engagement of great, broad, relevant issues. But I think of all the art forms about which it can be argued they've seen more rewarding artistic periods, theater is probably the best-suited to return to them if and when those kind of writers start doing that kind of work. I also believe an artform can benefit from the variety of voices brought to prominence during slower times. For instance, I think August Wilson is an admirable playwright. I don't believe him to be quite on the level with some of the playwrights you mention, but I very much appreciate being able to see his work in high-profile venues. I very much like the Chicago-based playwright Rebecca Gilman, and hope that her blossoming career results in long-term support for her work. By the way, I think method acting is misused as you say, but the big problem is that method actors are often very poorly directed. Best, 40th St. Black When I first moved to New York City, I worked for a theater papering agency. We gave away free ("paper") tickets to Broadway, Off-Broadway, and Off-Off-Broadway shows and concerts for the theaters so they could fill their houses during slow periods. This practice is helpful when trying to give good word of mouth to a show, when a reviewer will be present or during the slowest time of the year, summer. In my experience, fewer tickets are sold for theater in New York City in the summer than any time of the year. Perhaps the two shows of Shakespeare In the Park and summer stock like New London Barn (Connecticut), et al give the impression of abundance, but it's just not the case. Sure, theater is happening (the hit or miss Fringe Festival runs in August), but the houses are a little empty. Of course, I guess there are other cities or metro areas in the country, but being a New Yorker, I tend not to think about those regions. "Jimmy has fancy plans and the pants to match." -- from Macho Business Donkey Wrestler, by Jimmy James Alexia Henke <alexia_henke@exchangeny.deutschinc.com> You know, you're right. The houses are definitely down in New York during the summer season, particularly for the summer holiday weekends. (Why Patrick Stewart in stage make-up isn't a proper Fourth of July activity but Patrick Stewart in a wheelchair is a holiday-happy summer event is probably too long a discussion for here.) But I think the prevalence of summer stock, park shows, new plays festivals like the one currently in Chicago, and even some fringe festivals mark a kind of wider theatrical involvement right now that can't be ignored. Best, 40th St. Black 4-0: "The '90s on the American stage was a decade of quasi-theatrical you-can't-do-that-at-home performance, from circus sideshows in alternative venues to dance-infused showcases featuring props like brooms, trashcan lids, and the Irish." genius. sheer freakin' genius. take a bow! as an entertainment editor and film critic, i can only give you the standing o on your piece on the state of the modern theatre. like a natural wonder, faithful housepet or dick clark, theatre is something that just becomes overlooked in its timeless consistency, yet deserves appreciation and note. break a leg, but not one of yours! Tim Nekritz You know, one of the first plays I ever saw featured the Music Man falling into the orchestra pit and injuring himself. You wouldn't believe how confused and frightened I was in the green room before my five-year-old stage debut as "oven door" and "bush" in Hansel and Gretel. 40th St. Black INDY 2000 Pete, 
The Indy-CART thing has been going on for some time. I don't really know the specs of the cars, but Indy is just standard NASCAR style gor round in circles type stuff. CART racing is huge in Europe - I'm not certain, but I think that Mike Schumaker makes more money than Mike Jordan. Anyways, Nascar sucks, I don't care what anyone says. Indy is a little better I guess, and I'm sure you had a good time there. Where the hell is suck.com getting money to send your ass all over the place anyways? I know your Learjet is reserved for your personal use. I'm sorry to hear about Yeah! getting cancelled. It was a great book, but DC has plenty of "The Invisibles" to push on everyone. I got the last issue the same week Ball Aerospace fired my ass. Oh well. Cisco There was a lot of talk about Formula 1 making its debut next year at the Indy raceway, with a slightly altered NOT go-round-in-circles race course. As if I care — unless the latter means more crashes, in which case I'M THERE! As for Suck.com's "deep pockets": all I can say is you should have seen the truckstop motel we stayed at (the lady on page 4 who dropped something on her ass was the motel's manager). Peter Bagge Hey Bagge! I loved your piece on the Indy 500. That was funny as hell and pretty true to life too. Next time it might be even funnier if you try taking some minorities with you to the 'races'. See what kind of reaction you get then! Add some color to the last bastion of trailer park trash crackery in the good ol USA! k.Allen Flynn &rt;k.flynn@worldnet.att.net> The crowd at the Indy 500 wasn't as nearly as Caucasian as I thought it would be, and a lot of the drivers themselves were Latin American (including the winner). Still, I did consider of asking one of the few black fans at the 500 "what's it like to be black and at the 500?", but that may well have been the only racist comment that person might have heard all day, so I kept my mouth shut. Plus, unlike your typical small town demolition derby, The Indy 500 isn't very redneck at all for the most part. It was rather yuppyish, in fact. Peter Bagge oh sucksters... what the heck is going on. one day's suck just brought up the previous weeks (i believe you sent [me at least] the 11th's column out on the 18th--and never corrected it) then, yesterday some recycle from memorial day and the INDY 500?!?! without labeling or warning. and it was a really lame piece anyway (i mean why lose sight of your irony for the indianapolis 500, ferchrisakes) whats up with that? or maybe your just not aware that your delivery system also sucks of late. hoping you care, Jon Dohlin Well, John, for the knee jerk irony you seem to prefer, I'd suggest David Letterman, who is still into that late-'90s (actually mid-'80s) irony for irony's sake stuff. Sorry, but the minute Pete and I set foot in Indianapolis we realized the city was irony-proof and hardcore Face Value on everything it served up, like the locals who stood for every flag in the Memorial Day parade (including one made up of a giant red, white, and blue parachute carried as a giant skirt by over fifty red, white, and blue clad girls) and who then didn't bat an eye when a the Red Baron© frozen pizza-sponsored float rolled past a War Memorial that included names of those killed in World War I by the Baron and his friends, presumably before German war criminals started making such great iced pizzas. Letterman was surely the only ironic man to ever leave Indy, and most likely because they didn't get his sense of humor any more than I do. And yes, Jon, "we care." Bertolt Bleckett, author of "Waiting for My Dough" Where do you come up with this stuff?! No, literally...I wanna visit your office. I just happened upon this website yesterday and already I'm submersed in a world of disillusioned cynicism, crack-rabbits, and talking/floating fish. Finally, a place on the internet that reflects my interests and beliefs! Anyhoo, love the archives...I see I have a lot of catching up to do. I'm doing my part to spread the love here in Atlanta and back at school in Athens - I'm gonna earn a damn t-shirt sometime, I know it! Until then, rest assured that you'll hear more from your earnest new supporter at the University of Georgia. And finally, as a complete non-sequitor, I must fulfill my duty as a college student and say Zeppelin and Boston rule! Whooooo!!! Rock on!!! Toodles, Loren Kippels--on the job as Fitzgerald+Co's faithful account services (advertising) intern. Don't worry, you'll get my resume soon enough... "Toodles?!?" You're our kind of reader Loren, and we're sorry you're no longer in the Escondido area, but spread Suck love where ever you go. Bertolt Blechter Damn, you got it all so... right. The thing about the Indy race explains it all, and the Pee Boy drawings are just icing on the cake. I grew up in Cedar Rapids, Iowa where dirt track racing was practically a religion. Dear old dad schlepped us off to the track every freaking chance he got. Oh, how can I forget the filth. They don' t call it dirt track fer nothing. It's either choking dust or sloppy mud flung everywhere. Then who could forget the butt ugly cars, American sedans of every stripe: chevelles and cutlasses and fairlanes. Hulking refugees from the junk yard all, one step from scrapper. Then there was the endless inane debate over Ford v. Chevy (they both suck, by the way) . But most memorable of all, the godawful NOISE. My little sister would hide under the grandstands with her hands over her ears, crying her little eyes out. Good point about the death thing . People certainly are drawn to the possibility of accidental death or dismemberment.Then again, there were the wrecks that weren't accidents. The hick drivers would often run into each other on purpose. And the audience sometimes gets in on the fun. I once saw a tire fly into the stands that killed a spectator. Finally, let us not forget the drinking and brawling among the audience. Then, the drinking and brawling among the drivers (usually after the race). All and all a real family night out. Is this a great country, or what? Sincerely, Mike "the all-American boy" Chicchelly Wow, a guy with no love for racing and not a care in the world when we ran it! You blow the curve on our demographics, but welcome to Suck, Mike! Yeah, the Indy 500 brought back blue collar nostalgia for both Pete and myself (which is why we initially loved Indianapolis) but we too found ourselves, as the speculative fiction crowd might put it, strangers in a strange land. However, Indy fans at the track were not the drinkin' and brawlin' types you mention. That annual party is held at the corner of Georgetown and 16th just outside the track, where trailer park citizens line the streets with flatbed trucks, pitch tents, Budweiser© halter tops, and mullet haircuts aplenty to watch the slickers come in from all over (kind of like the Indianians Spielberg had waiting on the road side for his aliens in "Close Encounters"). Sitting in lawn chairs with their bare feet up on coolers, we're the parade for them: a bunch of trendy, booboisie middle class race fans with our SUVs, camcorders, fannypacks, and tivas, making the trek to Dogpatch for the annual Roarathon 500. "Pee Boy"? Does Pete know you call him that? Bertolt Blecht and Blue Do people still debate the merits of Ford vs. Chevy? I thought that argument had been settled (they both suck) years ago! Now it's Honda vs. Subaru, and I'm a Subaru man all the way. Don't mess with us Legacy owners! Peter B |
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